La Mordorée duo

Dinner at Locanda.

2013 Gramona Cava Argent Rosé Gran Reserva - nose was a little bit toasty, and showed some caramelized confit lemon. Good acidity on the palate, on the back of a little ripeness.

2004 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge La Reine des Bois - decanted 10 minutes after opening, and started drinking around 30 minutes after opening. Some mint on the nose with a little hint of pepper and some meaty notes. Very soft on the palate, with some silky tannins, and a little sweet on the finish. An hour after opening the nose was very open and fragrant now, but a little sharp on the nose. About 1½ hours after opening, started to feel some tannins on my tongue. With a new pour almost 2 hours in, we've got ripe fruit on the palate, along with fragrant woodsy and cedar notes on the nose. Drinking pretty well now.

Bought from Aone for HKD 546.

2010 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge La Reine des Bois - decanted 10 minutes after opening, and started drinking around 40 minutes after opening. This was much more tannic compared to the 2004 and I could feel the tannins coating my tongue right off the bat. The nose was also not as open as the 2004. About an hour after opening the nose improved, and continued to improve almost 2 hours after opening. It's amazing that almost 3 hours after opening the wine was still tannic and grippy on the palate. Needs a few more years of cellaring.

Full post on dinner is here.

Wines for Chindian

Dinner at Le Chefeteria.

2012 Parés Baltà Blanca Cuisiné Brut Nature Gran Reserva - nice and toasty nose, with nutty notes that was pretty nice. Not as full on the palate and a little bitter with a short finish. More about the nose than the palate here.

2020 Kanonkop Pinotage Kadette Rosé - a little strawberry with some flint.

2017 Millton 'Crazy by Nature' Cosmo Red - tons of sweet vanilla with forest pine, very fragrant potpourri. Kinda like Côte-Rôtie but somewhat different. Surprising that it wasn't too sweet on the palate in spite of the nose. A nice surprise.

2018 Santa Maria di Gaetano Bertani Pràgal - definitely got that sweet, raisiny nose reminiscent of Amarone. Smoky, and actually smelled of acidity in the nose.

2018 Hans Herzog Marlborough Viognier - couldn't smell the wine much... thanks to it being initially served too cold, then the smell of garlic in the air...

2019 Xanadu Cane Cut Viognier - nice and sweet but still got that fruity acidity, along with pollen and botrytis.

Full post on dinner is here.

Spanish wines for Spanish food

Dinner at Ozone.

2009 Parés Baltà Cava Blanca Cuisiné - rounded on the palate with a slight bitter finish.  Not a fan.

2012 Belondrade y Lurton - fresh, fruity, and tropical nose, with a little minerals.  Completely unoaked, which may account for the very bland palate and zero finish.  Almost like a Pinot Grigio... which makes it a great food wine since it can't interfere with anything...

2012 Vizcarra Ramos Venta las Vacas - nose of ripe fruit, forest, and vanilla.  Still pretty young, but the tannins weren't too harsh.

Full post on dinner is here.